43things TEAM PROJECT: embrace housework as a spiritual practice

I started sweeping and mopping the floor more regularly, now that the baby is three months old and I have started giving him “floor time” on his stomach, so he gets strong enough to hold his head and lift himself on his little arms. So from now on I’ll be seeing this task as a service to my son, for his benefit and health.

Around the time my son was born, the dryer was out of gas, so for the first two weeks after arriving from the hospital I couldn’t wash any clothes. Day after day I watched with quiet desperation as the mountain of laundry grew and I couldn’t do anything about it.

When my husband finally bought the gas and installed the cylinder, I started washing my laundry as soon as I could. I felt so relieved, and even more surprising, happy. I felt happy just washing our laundry, and in that moment I understood that doing the laundry had become an indelible part of my routine. I understood that it feels just the same as it feels to resume a spiritual practice you had neglected.

I read somewhere that there is some branch of Buddhism where the followers get up at o-dark :30 and begin cleaning their homes top to bottom everyday. Its a spiritual practice for them, like meditation.

I’ve always liked that story, and often have thought about trying to do something like that myself, but my own house, with two roommates and five cats and a small dog, is just too overwhelming and I feel resentment at having to be the one who cleans everything.

Still this morning, while babysitting my mother’s house, I got up early to see my boyfriend off to work, and stayed up to watch the sunrise and clean the downstairs. Her house isn’t nearly as messy and basically I loaded the dishwasher, folded some laundry, swept and wiped off the cabinets. Still, it was refreshing knowing that the house was clean.

now I think I shall nap till noon…

Tonight while my DH was watching the movie “Troy” on tv I was ironing his hankies… I’m not sure, but I think it took me about half an hour to iron all of them. A couple of times he looked my way, in silence, and just stared, with this dreamy look on his face… I love those moments, they’re really special. I just smiled and kept on ironing.

This is a wonderful book that presents different spiritual perspectives on the art of keeping house. It has been very inspiring and I encourage anyone with this goal to peruse through it, and get some inspiration too.

This has to do with the epiphany, so to speak, I’ve had with the FLYlady system… Instead of seeing house chores as just chores and drudgery, I’m starting to see housework as an opportunity to show gratitude for all the blessings I have in my life… Since a couple of years ago I’ve been feeling the need to express gratitude in my life, and this is a great way to do it.

So, I’ve made a schedule and I’ve been sticking to it, now I need to integrate some kind of spiritual work into it. Scented candles are the awesome btw, they smell good and bring an emotion to the room.

I think music and incense will help me think in a spiritual way when I am cleaning…just like tea helps with the writing.

I often use my herb harvest for cleaning… I stuff muslin bags with lavender, (which in Latin, means to cleanse), or lemon verbena dried leaves and toss them into the dryer. The laundry is scented naturally, without any added chemicals. I also will place one inside the vaccuum, it deodorizes while I sweep. I make potpourri’s from lots of herbs and place around to also scent the air.

I have filled the muslim bags with bitter herbs, yarrow, tansy, rue, etc. and hang in closets to deter moths.

I use either loose sage leaves or wrap them in bundles and use to smudge the house… rids the excess negativity.

Again the lavender, lemon verbena, rosemary sprigs and rose petals are added to vinegars or water to make a nice rinse for floors, counters,etc.

these actions are meaningful, because I invested time into cultivating, harvesting and preparing the herbs for my intent.
I have reduced the use of harsh chemical commercial cleaners, saved some money and breath easier.

I guess, this chore of housework, is the easiest for me to embrace with a spiritual practice. Namely because the kitchen window, is centered over the sink. I can go about the mundane motions of cleansing our food utensils, while gazing at one of my gardens, enjoying whatever is blooming, any wildlife action going on, feel the breeze blowing occassionally through the screen, listen to cicada’s and birds, or remind me of some outdoor chores that need attended to.
In winter, there is the added reward of warming up, while playing in the hot soapy water. I’ve often done the dishes just to get warm!
Thinking I should probably take this a step further, and start to incorporate positive cleansing thoughts or affirmations?